[jaykay]

For that reason amongst others I would not recommend a working collie as a house pet in a house with young children, or to live in any lifestyle where it will come into contact with young children.

And yet my family has 6 collies currently, all of whom are house pets with kids about, and all are working stock and four of them are partly-working dogs. 5 of these are from the same breeding.

I accept that snapping and possibly biting are part of a collie's work - but my premise is that with the right temperament, the dogs are no more risk to youngsters than most others. In the same way as we has a Police dog who was a scary business when he was at work, but when off-duty was fine with people, as fine as most big dogs would be.

Personally I think gundogs make great family pets but I have to say our collies are good with people, including kids.

[in the hills]

This is the side that worries me more than anything and that puts me off if anything. My children are 11 and 14 and grown up with big excitable dogs around them but dogs that I through careful observation trusted .... and I do understand that no dog can be fully trusted. I think they are old enough to understand how collies "tick" but worry whether this side to them would make them difficult for me to take everywhere with me. Though I have to watch my FC  carefully around people not used to dogs/ children because of his over-friendly nature and boisterous personality  . Some gundogs make good pets but it's like all breeds and varies. My father has 2 labs at the minute that are nervous dogs and the actions of young children spook them ..... if I even wear a hat they are unsure if it's me!!!!


Pup's mum is very friendly, fussy and gentle. Jumps up and seeks attention. Not sure about dad. To me, she seems more balanced than some collies. I won't rush in. Will find out more because couldn't risk making a mistake. 

[SallyintNorth]

jaykay, I am sure you know that you and your family are extraordinary animal people.  I expect you could have a pet crocodile and it would be a pussycat!   

So I stick by my generalisation as a generalisation. 

And, in the hills, bless you for wanting to take a great deal of care over this decision. 

[jaykay]

jaykay, I am sure you know that you and your family are extraordinary animal people.  I expect you could have a pet crocodile and it would be a pussycat

Well that might be so  Plus the dogs really are a good temperament 

[happygolucky]

Dogs are  utilised for their traits as we all know, so thats the starting point, get the wrong dog and you can find it much harder to adapt or train ......I need a working dog that can wash up and hoover although I suppose I have, they will clean pots if I let them and they do try to put washing away, usually in their beds and as for the hoover well my husband is surgically attached to our Dyson , besides that point, some dogs are much harder to train and as for recall, males have male selective hearing.....or am I too cynical?

[jaykay]

Pup's mum is very friendly, fussy and gentle. Jumps up and seeks attention

That sounds good 

Lol Sandy, yes if only I could train the dogs to go out and collect firewood instead of removing it from the log basket and chewing it to bits all over the floor.....etc etc Mine are pretty good at pot-washing too 

[plumseverywhere]

Just enjoyed 4 perfect recalls with 'distractions'. Either he was sniffing (fox trails) or 'talking' to the goats or rolling in the frost but each time straight back for a treat and lots of happy noises and hugs from me.

Now to stop him pulling on the lead quite so hard!

[in the hills]

   Well done, Plums.


 He's only a babe, in my opinion, go slowly with your training ..... plenty of time. I would just make heel work fun for a bit ...... I walk very slowly, very quickly, round in a circle and backwards ...... he will wonder what on earth you're doing, eyes on you and he'll be interested. Pat your leg and give command.


Did you say he was only 10 weeks?  Couple of minutes heel work on his lead several times each day in the house will do, then garden and then elsewhere.


In my opinion don't rush him, can do more harm than good, he has to be a baby first.

[plumseverywhere]

He's 16 weeks 

we just have a few minutes a day, rest is playtime which is good for the children too!

[SallyintNorth]

Top tip for heelwork is never go forward if the dog is pulling.  Yes use all the whiles as people are suggesting to make it fun and make him come with you, but whenever there is a forward pull on the lead, you stop moving forwards.  Do not proceed forwards until the lead is slack.  He'll get it pretty quickly, especially if you help him by making it very exciting to come back to you and set off in a different direction .... 

[jaykay]

Well done Plums and Murphy 

Do not proceed forwards until the lead is slack

that's exactly it 

And don't 'tug' him back on lead.

Except if you ever do, make it count - roar 'no' and pull him so hard you pull him off his feet. Sounds awful but my ex, the Police-dog trainer, used to say that all people generally did was train dogs to tolerate harder and harder tugs, til you had to do it over and over again really hard. So that actually it was kinder to do it right, once or twice.

But far better, with plenty of time and patience, is to do as SITN says.

[plumseverywhere]

have found that chatting to him as we walk keeps him looking at me and he doesn't pull 

The more I look at him, the more he looks like a collie X terrier. The lady I bought him from took the mum (norfolk terrier ) in and it was assumed that her samoyed fathered the pups but as the mum would have been straying on farm land I personally think there could be a chance his dad was someone else!

[happygolucky]

Never let him pull, he is young and is going to try it on, purse your techniques and never give in to him pulling you where he wants, yes, change directions constantly, if he pulls stop give him a quick tug tug on the lead, say no or his name then when he comes back then start again, works well to change direction so then they do not predict where they are going.......chatting is good, I tell the dogs where I am going, either things like right or left or stopping here, they learn very very quickly!! 
 
Oh and ours empty the logs basket, they think they are helping, would be great for kindling makers!!!!

[Alistair]

I always use a loose lead looped in my hand, as soon as the dog pulls on this I drop the loop and quick turn and walk in the opposite direction, it works. You look daft, but it works.

[jaykay]

have found that chatting to him as we walk keeps him looking at me and he doesn't pull

that's good.

He sounds as smart as a BC to me - I reckon his dad was a naughty farm collie, from his intelligence and his looks